COOKING AND EATING WITH SPIRIT! A Recipe for Self-Expression

Food fulfills a basic human need: it gives us the sustenance we need in order to live. But while it is true that without food we can not sustain life, and frankly, with too much food we will likely develop any number of health issues that could inhibit or do away with life altogether, there is more to take into consideration with food than merely the gross amount or even the nutritional value. Food is not just a thing to maintain life; food is an invitation to life, particularly a life of Spirit Wellness. Finding inspiring ways to cook and eat provide a great avenue for Self-expression. And Self-expression is the greatest example of the human spirit in action!

Now there are plenty of resources that can tell you what specifically defines a healthy diet; likewise which nutri­tional components are essential in order to keep your body alive and well. Admittedly, I am not one of these resources, and this post is not a guide for body wellness. This post is about learning how to express your Self through cooking and eating in order to help you better satisfy your deepest desires and achieve Spirit Well­ness. And there are lots of great ways to do just this! Here are a few examples.

Resonant Recipes: We all have favorite recipes that speak to our deepest desires. What can be fun is to marry these together in order to create a meaningful meal with friends or family. Before a holiday or special occasion, ask guests to give you a “Resonant Recipe,” (one that either you will make or they will bring for the event) and to tell you briefly what is the story behind it—in other words why it resonates with them. Then put together a small booklet with each recipe and story for each person (or couple) to take with them.

The Full Mealtime Monty: We often think of going out to dinner as a “date.” But some­times staying home can be as much fun, if not more. The next time you want some special time with a loved one (either someone new or a long-term partner), make a dinner date, only both choose the recipes, both shop for the food together, and both cook and eat the meal. Allow “Desert” to be sponta­neous!

Family Food Time: Despite many efforts to the contrary, the days of the entire family eating together seven days a week seem to be past. But this shouldn’t mean that we give up on the spirit of the practice. Mealtimes have always provided a way for people to get out of the daily chaos of tasks and to-do lists and catch up on the goings-on of their individual and collective lives. So if everyday meals seem too much, create a time, at least once a week, to come together and con­nect as a family, but also connect specifically around food. This doesn’t mean, however, that only one person (like the parent) is in charge of making the meal. Get everyone involved, including the young ones; make each family member responsible for some aspect of the meal. And then share and savor it together. The sooner we make cooking and eating a priority in our families, the sooner everyone will feel in­volved in and enthusiastic about the process.

Throughout time and across culture cooking and eating has served as a way for individuals, fami­lies, and communities to come together. In fact, almost all the great wisdom traditions have food as a central part of their rituals and identity, and so is evidence of its role in the collective aspect of spirit wellness. But food is also important to our individual effort for Spirit Wellness: what we consume is a window into our being; what’s more, it is an act of Self-expression, and can be a useful measure for how well we are living from spirit. So harness your inner voice and vision in the service of food. Use your imagination, creativity, resourcefulness, ideas, and humor to start cooking and eating with spirit!